


Echo Ruby

by Selene



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Cooking, Couch Cuddles, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Flashbacks, Food, Happy Bucky Barnes, M/M, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, because he deserves it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:34:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23889034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selene/pseuds/Selene
Summary: The morning after a mission in Steve and Bucky's home.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 9
Kudos: 57





	Echo Ruby

“Stevie ?”

Bucky was just waking up, his face smushed against a pillow, and hugging another one. The bed felt cold, a sure sign that Steve — a human furnace if there ever was one — had left it some time ago.

Bucky usually woke up when Steve left the bed, but they had come back the night before exhausted after a long mission, only managing a quick shower before sliding between the sheets and passing out.

A quick glance at the alarm clock let Bucky know that he had been out for 10 hours, proving how tired he was, as he only slept 6 hours most nights. Or at least nights at home, where there was no wake up call, and no problematic or dangerous situations that needed handling. If you excluded Steve trying to cook breakfast, which usually produced delicious food, but had a slight chance to turn into a disaster.

Getting up, Bucky padded silently to the kitchen, where he was greeted by the sight of Steve in front of the stove, cooking what, by the smell of it, had to be bacon and eggs. It seemed the food this morning was going to be delicious.

This was the best kind of morning. No worries, no expectations (except maybe some debrief later in the afternoon), just him and Steve, some food, and a couch to cuddle on.

“Good morning Stevie”, Bucky yawned, stumbling over half the words. He got close to Steve and hugged him from behind, hooking his chin on his boyfriend's shoulder.

“Good morning sleepyhead,”

Bucky could hear a smile in Steve's voice, and closed his eyes as he slumped against him.

“The bed was cold.”

“Sorry Buck, but I know how your stomach is after a mission, and I thought I would go ahead and start breakfast,”

“Oh, I love you,” Bucky moaned softly. Now that he thought about it, he was famished.

Steve finished his cooking quickly while Bucky took out some plates and cutlery, and both men settled at the table.

Bucky lifted his head from his food to find Steve looking at him with soft eyes.

“What?”

“Nothing. I just like seeing you eat like this.” His tone was as gentle as his eyes, and Bucky thought back to not so long ago, when he was still more Winter Soldier than James Buchanan Barnes, and food was nothing more than fuel for a perfect killing machine.

He used to function on these disgusting protein shakes, barely tasting them as he drank them.

\- - - - - -

It had taken a while, but after chasing him for months, Steve had finally caught up to him. Or rather, after some time, and when enough of his memories had come back to him, Bucky had made the choice to let himself be caught.

After surrendering himself to the Avengers, Bucky had been placed under Steve's responsibility, and, after some negotiations where Captain America had thrown his rank around, he had been escorted to his apartment in the Tower.

The first few days had been rough, and even with his new found memories, Bucky hadn't been able to trust Steve enough to believe him when he said he was safe.

He had spent most of his time in the guest room, silently sitting in a corner. He did not touch the food Steve left for him, only left the room to use the bathroom, and only at night, when he was as sure as possible that his host was asleep in his bed.

After three days of Bucky not eating, Steve had managed to lure him to the kitchen, and had showed him how to make the protein shakes. He was using powder from sealed packages, and Bucky could check them beforehand to be sure they had not been tampered with.

Progress had been slow at first. Bucky knew Steve, he knew that he wasn't a threat, but he couldn't let himself fully trust that no harm would come to him.

It had started with coming out of the guest room when Steve was around. Joining him in the living room when he was watching a documentary. Just being in the same room at first, then coming to sit with him on the couch.

Steve had then started to try and make his meal preparations end when Bucky would come into the kitchen to drink his protein shakes. He would cook old Irish recipes, in the hopes that it would make Bucky remember better times, the two of them sitting at the kitchen table in his old apartment in Brooklyn and Sarah cooking next to them.

He would cook too much for just one person, commenting out loud about the surplus of food.

He did it so many times, each time looking at Bucky from the corner of his eyes, that on the day his best friend asked if he could have some, he almost dropped the dish he was holding.

Bucky'd had to fight with his instincts to eat food he hadn't prepared himself, but it had been worth it just to see the smile that had appeared on Steve's face, as bright as the sun.

\- - - - - -

As Bucky's thoughts found their way back to the present, his eyes fell on Steve who was watching him with a soft smile.

Those darker times may have been over, but Steve still took comfort in seeing Bucky eat the food he had prepared. Just watching him devour breakfast with enthusiasm was sometimes enough to bring tears to his eyes. He was proud of how much Bucky had overcome to be the man he was these days, to trust and love and let himself be happy.

“Don't be a sap, Steve”, groaned Bucky around a mouthful, “I know what you're thinking, and there is no need for that”.

“I know. I love you, that's all. Can't I just be happy to share breakfast with my best guy on a day off?”

“Uh uh. That's not all you were thinking. But I'll let it slide this time. Because I love you, and because this food is absolutely delicious. Did you try something new?”

“Yeah, Bruce gave me some spices last week, told me they were good with eggs, and I've been wanting to try them ever since. I'll ask him for more.”

Steve may have started out feeding Bucky with tried and tested old recipes, but as things progressed, he had begun to experiment with new ones — some amazing, some a little weird, and some a total disaster.

But each and every time, Bucky would eat everything put in front of him, because if Steve was taking the time to cook for him, he was sure as hell going to eat it, if only for the soft smile that would appear on his boyfriend's face.

The two men took their time finishing breakfast, before putting the dishes away, and moving to the living room.

They had at least six hours before they had to do anything, and Bucky was determined to use them well.

He manhandled Steve toward the couch, making him lie down on his back.

“I hope you don't have anything planned, because I don't intend to do anything except use you as a pillow for at least the next hour and a half. Maybe even two hours,” Bucky said seriously.

“If I can be of assistance... And I have a book right here with me, I think I'll be fine.”

Bucky lay down and claimed his place on Steve's body, fitting perfectly against him and resting his head on his chest.

He sighed. He was well fed, cuddling his boyfriend under the morning sun and with nothing else to do for the next few hours. Steve was slowly threading his fingers through his hair, and that felt so good Bucky felt like he was one good scritch away from purring. He could relax and enjoy his life. This was a good morning.

**Author's Note:**

> hank you to Lexiland1234 for her help beta reading this fanfic!
> 
> This is the first story I've written in years, so please don't be too harsh.  
> The title comes from a french song by Indochine.
> 
> You can find me on [tumblr](http://sel3nee.tumblr.com/)
> 
> (this is a repost from yesterday because i don't know what i did, but i clearly did something stupid)


End file.
